ADDS MORE REMARKS FROM TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER
By Faruk Zorlu and Seda Sevencan
ANKARA (AA) – Türkiye’s foreign minister reiterated the country's commitment to fighting terrorism in Iraq and addressing the national security threat posed by a political party’s ties to the PKK terror group.
"Türkiye is determined to use all its diplomatic tools in a coordinated manner to establish stability in the region" with the fight against terrorism in Iraq, Hakan Fidan told a news channel Monday.
Highlighting the enduring friendship between Türkiye and the people of the Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah, Fidan said the leadership of northern Iraq's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) party in Sulaymaniyah "poses a national security threat to Türkiye due to its cooperation with the terror group PKK."
"Our desire is for our friends in Sulaymaniyah to correct their mistakes, cement their friendship with Türkiye as they have done throughout history, and move forward together towards a shared future," he added.
Stressing collaborative efforts to shape the future in the Iraqi cities of Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Baghdad, Kirkuk and Mosul, he said there is no place for terrorist groups in these areas.
"We must now remove them from our system. These are organizations whose lifespan has expired. The cities and cultures I mentioned are ancient, and they have overcome such threats before, and hopefully, they will continue to do so in the future," he added.
Stressing Iraq's tumultuous history, including occupation and civil war, Fidan noted a significant shift in the last four to five years, indicating that the country is now on a path towards normalization and capable of fulfilling the requirements of politics
Stating that Türkiye has been striving to work in harmony with all governments in Baghdad, Fidan said “we are making efforts to work in harmony with the government of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani as much as possible. We support especially his development initiatives and service efforts towards Iraq."
Fidan said that due to internal turmoil and conflicts, Iraq failed to provide basic services to its people, enabling the PKK to solidify its presence in Iraq amid the chaotic environment and enhance its position.
He also mentioned the intelligence cooperation between the two countries, highlighting cooperation areas involving security and counterterrorism efforts with both regional administrations and the central government.
Fidan, recalling that cooperation with the central government was undertaken in the past to prevent terrorist transit between Syria and Iraq, noted "we had extensive discussions, particularly regarding what could be done about Sinjar, with leaders of Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces). We worked on closing some open areas along the border with the central government.”
Pointing out numerous weak and uncontrolled points that allow the PKK to cross the Syria-Iraq border, he said "there are steps that need to be taken from the north to the Turkish border. Our goal is to ensure the security of the border between Iraq and Syria completely and prevent the organization from using the gap."
He also pointed to the terror group’s efforts to consolidate its presence both in Iraq and Syria, expressing Türkiye's goal to completely eliminate the permeability between Syria and Iraq.
Fidan last week along with Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin and Deputy Interior Minister Munir Karaloglu visited Iraq as news came that Iraq’s National Security Council had officially designated the PKK as an outlawed group.
In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.
-Other global, regional issues, including Gaza
Touching on relations with the US, Fidan said that Washington’s support for the YPG is one of Türkiye’s primary security concerns, noting “this is a national security threat for us.”
Regarding the Syria issue, he said that for Türkiye, the top priority regarding Syria is the continuation of the Astana agreement and the avoidance of a conflict between the Syrian opposition and the regime at the moment, as “this would be a trigger point for instability."
Fidan also commented on Ankara's role in mediating peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine, highlighting the significant impact of Türkiye’s calls for peace in the region.
He expressed his country’s discomfort with the tragedy and the risk of the war spreading to the region.
*"The Black Sea has become an increasingly militarized area. There is a risk of spillover into the Balkans, Eastern Europe and Central Europe. This is dangerous. It is a matter that more Europeans should be concerned about than us."
On Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip, Fidan said there is a certain deadlock in the negotiations conducted through intermediaries between Hamas and Israel for a cease-fire.
Noting that Qatar and Egypt have done what is necessary to address the pause in negotiations, Fidan said Türkiye is trying to play a positive and constructive role.
"While these efforts continue, it is unacceptable for (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu to turn this into a show to save his own future. Even more serious is the silence of the West on this matter," he added.
Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 which killed nearly 1,200 people.
More than 31,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in the enclave and nearly 73,800 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.
The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.